BRUSSELS, Belgium – 16 February 2009 – SEMI PV Group today announced the third annual Fab Managers Forum will be held in Dresden, Germany 8-9 March, 2009. Hosted by the Fab Managers Group and the SEMI PV Group, the Fab Managers Forum is focused on improving customer-supplier relations across the photovoltaic supply chain. The group will present a supplier assessment at the event, and a discussion will be held between customers and suppliers who are focused on improving the current state of the industry.

"The PV Fab Managers Forum intensifies the dialogue between all stake holders of the whole PV supply chain,” said Norbert Baumbach, director, Technical Services & Expansion Projects at SCHOTT Solar. “SCHOTT Solar supports this Forum, in order to be prepared for the challenges the future markets will bring to our production."

The Forum will be divided into four main sessions, each featuring a range of presentations by top industry executives from companies including Applied Materials, Q-Cells, Linde Group, and Fraunhofer ISE, among others. Each session with conclude with a speaker panel discussion and Q&A session.

Session topics include:

Supplier Assessment

Supply Chain optimization and supplier relations

Supporting the growth: What can initiatives like Solar Valley do?

Improved Process Control and Standardization

The event is designed for executives and business leaders from the PV industry; fab managers; lead engineers from wafer-, cell-, bulk silicon and thin film module manufacturers; as well as executives, strategists, product managers and technical experts from suppliers to the industry.

The 3rd SEMI PV Group Photovoltaic Fab Managers Forum (PV FMF) will focus on “Supply Chain Management” and take place at the Maritim Conference Centre on 8-9 March 2009 in Dresden, Germany. More information is available on www.semi.org/pvfmf

About SEMI PV Group:

The PV Group is a SEMI special interest group that serves the photovoltaic supply chain. Participating companies provide manufacturing equipment, materials, cells, modules, sub-systems, and components to the solar energy industry worldwide. The PV Group mission is to advance industry growth, support continuous efficiency improvements and promote sustainable business practices through international standards development, events, public policy advocacy, EHS support, market intelligence, and other services. For more information, visit: www.pvgroup.org